Operating mechanism for elevator doors



T. E. GRIFFITH ET AL Sept 8, 1925. 1,552,557

OPERATING MECHANISM FOR ELEVATOR DOORS Filed June 16- 3 2 Shoots-Shoot l INVENTORS Thomas E. Griffith Lee L.Dodds ATTORN Sept 8. 1925.

T. E. GRIFFITH ET AL OPERATING MECHANISM FOR ELEVATOR DOORS Filed June 16.

1923 2 Shuts-Shoot 2 Thomas E INVENTORS.

.Gfiffith .Lee L. Dodsis 72 ATTO Patented Sept. 8, 1925.

UNITED STATES var THOMAS E. GRIFFITH AND LEE L. DOIDIDS, 0F CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIG-NORS TO THE W. S. TYLER OOIIIPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

OPERATING MECHANISM FOR ELEVATOR DOORS.

Application filed June 16, 1923.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, TnoMAs E. Garr- FITH and LEE L. Donns, both citizens of the United States, and residents of Cleveland, county of Cuyahoga, and State of Ohio, have jointly invented a new and useful T1111- provement in Operating Mechanisinfor illevatoi' Doors, of which the following 1s a specification, the principle of the invention being herein explained and the best mode in which we have contemplated applying that principle, so as to distinguish it from other inventions.

The present invention, relating, as indicated, to operating mechanisms for elevator doors, is directed more particularly to an improved mechanism for operating the doors of an elevator enclosure, which mechanism is provided with means for preventing the unauthorized opening of the doors where they, by carelessness or accident, have been left in a partially opened position. To the accomplishment of the foregoing and re: lated ends, said invention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The annexed drawing and the following description set forth in detail certain mechanism embodying the invention, such disclosed means constituting, however, but one of various mechanical forms in which the principle of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawings Fig. 1 is a front'elevation of an elevator enclosure and door embodying therein one form of our novel operating mechanism;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged elevation of the operating mechanism;

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view on line 33, Fig. 2;

Fig. 4c is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing a modified form of operating mechanism Fig. 5 is an enlarged elevation of the operating mechanism illustrated in Fig.

Fig, 6 is a view partially in elevation as taken on line 6-6, Fig. 7; and

Fig. 7 is a .cross sectional view on the line 7 in Fig. 5.

' I'Vith reference to Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, there is illustrated an elevator enclosure 1 having an opening 2 which is normally closed by a door or doors The door is mounted to move laterally by means of a Serial No. 645,832.

hanger 4 attached to the top of the door, the hanger being provided with suitable flanged wheels 5 which ride on a track 6, secured to the enclosure frame above the door. In the present form, the door is moved manually by an operator gripping a suitable handle or the like and then pulling said door in the opening direction. It is usual in such types of elevator doors to employ the handle to free or unlatch the latching mechanism at the time the handle is first gripped. To accomplish this, the handle, designated by numeral 7, is pivotally mounted about a pin 8 on the door 3 and a spring 9 is used to keep the handle normally pressed outwardly. A cover or casing 10 may be used toconfine the spring and handle, an opening being provided in one side thereof, through which the operator may grip the handle. above the handle and extending through the casing '10 is a vertical rod 11, which is utilized to control the latching mechanism. The lower end of this rod is engaged by a Mounted vertically cam surface 12 formed eccentrically about the pin 8 on the handle 7, it being obvious that movement of the handle will cause the rod 11 to be either raised or lowered, which action will effect the latching or unlatching of the latching mechanism to be presently described. Thus far the above. description relates to an ordinary construction of elevator enclosure doors and the handleoperating mechanism therefor.

In the operation of elevators the operator occasionally only partly closes the doors,

or the door closer (not shown) for-some reason fails to completely close them and they stand in a partially open position. Itis es sential that means he p-ro-videdto prevent a further opening of the doors by someone in the corridor. when the doors are standing in such partially opened position. As soon as they are closed, the doors cannot, of course, be opened from the corridor side, so that if means are provided which prevent the opening of the doors from. the corridor, even though they arer-in a partially ope-n position, sucsh means are effective to prevent a complete opening of the doors from the corridor and to prevent accidents. The meanswhich we employ for this purpose consist of the following mechanism. The upper end of rod 11 is slidahly lot ' received in a bracket or boss 13 and in such V enclosure, in this embodiment of our invention on the track 6, is a longitudinally extending plate 20, said plate being located immediately above the cam plate 16. As seen in-Fig. 2, the cam 17 of plate 16 normally engages the plate 20 on account of the normally raised position of rod 11, which engagement results. in latching or holding the door from lateral movement to the left or opening direction. It will be obvious that, if the door and cam plate 16 are moved toward the left, the eccentric cam 17 will, on account of its relat1ve arrangement, become any way afi'ect the normal operation of the 7 position.-

tightly engaged against the plate 20 and the door prevented from movement in such direction. V I

In operation the operator grips the handle 7 to pull the elevator door open andby such gripping action rotates/ the handle and cam 12 about the pin 8, thus dropping the vertical rod 11. Vhenthe rod 11 is dropped, it lowers the cam plate 16 out of engagement with the plate 20 and the door may be moved to the left to open position. If the door is now returned tofclosed position, the handle is released and the spring 9 actuates to raise the rod 11 andcam plate 16. The plate 20 may be extended the full length of the travel of cam 17, or, as shown, may extend for a short distance adjacent the closed position of the door. In'use of elevators the operator always pushes the door nearly shut before starting his car, and insome instances, the door does not completely close, and it is in such cases that the present novel operating mechanism operates to prevent the opening of such door from the corridor side. In the closing movement of the door, after the handle 7 has been released and the rod 11 and cam plate 16 raised, the cam 17 rolls along the underside of plate 20, but does not interfere with the closing movement of the door.

The present operating means do not in elevator doors and they add but few parts to the ordinary operating mechanism. It will be evident, however, that the action of cam 17 and plate 20 effectively prevents the opening of the doors from the corridor side, should such doors be left in partially opened A similar construction is shown inrliligs. 4 to '7 inclusive, in which, however, a chain device is employed inplace of the handle. member 7 for operating the latching mechanism and for pulling open the door. 25 denotes the elevator enclosure, 26 the door, and

27 the hanger therefor, on which are mount- 7 ed wheels 28 adapted to guide and sup-port the door on a track 29 secured, to the enclosure frame. Mounted about a pin 30 in a casing 31, secured to the top of the door 26, is a cam plate 32. The plate 32 is provided on its upper side with an eccentric cam. surface 33, similar to the cam 12, and the lower end is formed with a weight 34 which keeps the cam 33 normally in raised position. Attached to the plate 32 at one side thereof is a chain or other flexible element 35, which extends downwardly through the casing 31 along the door within convenient reach of'an operator, the lower end of the chain being slidably received in a perforated bracket 36 and having thereon a ring or enlarged loop 37; In use the operator may grip eitherthe ring 37 to rock the plate 32 about its pivot, on may take hold of the chain above the bracket 36, which action also tends to pull the chain downwardly. 'Mountedon the hanger 27 is a bracket 40, in which is slidably carried a vertical rod 41. Rod 41 extends downwardly through'the top of casing 31 and'isengaged by cam 33. Carried by and extending from the rear side of said rod is a pin 42, similar in construction to the pin 14, said pin extending through a slot 43 in'the boss 40 and in the hanger 27 toward the track 29. .pin is a cam plate 44 adapted to engage a longitudinal plate 45 fixed to the track 29 above the member 44. The operation of the latching mechanism which comprises the rod 41, the cam plate 44 and the plate 45 is iden tical with the operation of rod 11, cam plate 16 and plate 20, hereinbefore described.

Pivotally mounted on said ice The mechanism set forth in the last named embodiment of the invention is particularly advantageous in use on very high elevator doors, where, if a rod similar to rod "11 were used, considerable warpin might develo and throw the latching mechanism out of a justment. By using a comparatively short rod, as 41', and controlling the movement thereof by a chain, we eliminate any possibility of the parts becoming misaligned.

Other modes of applying the principle of our invention maybe employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the mechanism .herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

,We therefore particularly point out and said door in one direction, and means actuated from said handle for rendering said cam plate inoperative.

2. In an elevator enclosure, the combination of a slidably mounted door, a laterally extending plate mounted on said enclosure, a vertical rod slidably mounted on said door, means for raising and lowering said rod, a cam plate pivotally mounted on said rod and adapted-to frictionally engage said first-named plate When the rod is in raised position to prevent lateral movement of the door in one direction.

3. Door locking mechanism comprising a fixed laterally extending plate, a vertical rod carried by the door, a cam plate pivotally mounted on said rod, an eccentric cam sur face on said cam plate adapted to frictionally engage said first named plate to prevent lateral movement of the door in one direction, and means for raising and lowering said rod to engage or disengage said cam plate with said first named plate.

4. In an elevator enclosure having an opening therein, the combination of a slidably mounted door adapted to close said opening, a laterally extending plate mounted on said enclosure adjacent the closed position of said door, a vertical rod slidably mounted on the door, a handle member for raising and lowering said rod, and a cam plate pivotally mounted on said rod, said cam plate. being adapted to friotionally engage said first named plate to prevent lateral movement of the door in one direction.

Signed by us this 8th day of June, 1923.

THOMAS E. GRIFFITH. LEE L. DODDS. 

